Statement of Biblical Foundation

Holy Scripture is God's authoritative revelation to humankind setting forth the character and heart of God, and offering to believers training in righteousness, that the man and woman of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

From Scripture we learn that the Creator is a God of justice and righteousness; that he measures the acts of individuals against an absolute standard of divine holiness. We learn that every person, without distinction, is created in the image of God and is precious in his sight; that each individual human being is so loved by God that he gave up his only Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem from sin and death any who would believe in his name.

We learn, too, that all persons are fallen creatures, with evil inherent to their natures. We learn that the sinful nature of humankind and the fallen state of the world are manifest in the evil that humans visit upon one another. We learn that this is a world in rebellion against God, a world in which power and deceit are used to take from men and women those good things given to them by their Creator; namely, life, liberty, dignity, and the fruit of creation, love and labor.

We learn that the Creator God judges, condemns and punishes those who so abuse others. Out of His love for both the vulnerable and those tempted to abuse them, God establishes human governments as His agents in bearing the sword of punishment to rightly restrain wrongdoers from evil and to call them to repentance. In support of this work of justice, God raises up righteous prophets to plead with, exhort, encourage and confront rulers (e.g. Moses to Pharaoh, Nathan to David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Amos, John the Baptist), so that such authorities might rightly execute their ministry of justice on behalf of the weak and oppressed, and so that such authorities might refrain from abusing such power for unjust gain or treating offenders in ways that deny the dignity they at all times retain as those who bear the image of God.

We learn from Scripture that in a fallen world of violent oppression, God has compassion on those who suffer evil and injustice; that he sees them and hears their cry. Accordingly, God has sent his son Jesus Christ to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Likewise, God has sent the disciples of his Son to be salt and light in the midst of this world's darkness and corruption in order that they might preach the Good News of salvation in Christ and demonstrate, in word and deed, God's love and mercy toward those who suffer. We learn that a visible measure of Christian faith is the sacrificial love extended to those in need; and that while the earth awaits its final redemption in Christ, faithful men and women of God will obey His call to preach the Gospel, to seek justice, to reprove the ruthless, to plead for the weak, to remember the ill-treated and the afflicted and to deliver them, to speak for the voiceless and defend the rights of the afflicted, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, and to let the oppressed go free.

Upon this foundation, therefore, International Justice Mission offers its sacrifice of mercy and service in obedience to Christ, in support of His Gospel, and for the advancement of His Kingdom.